Like it or not, the gardening season in the Green Mountains has ended, mostly.  Before our thoughts turn completely to the holiday season there are a few tasks worth attending to before we’re totally snowed in.  There are also a couple easy tips to help keep your Christmas green and fresh longer.

Indoor pest prevention.  If you brought indoors a few of your favorite plants, as I did, this is a good time to give them a close health exam to avoid hidden pest problems. Remove any dead or unhealthy looking parts, clean away dead leaves, and over grown stems.  I sprayed all plants with Insecticidal soap and then with Neem oil over a couple weeks before bringing them in.  There still might be a few harmful insects lurking under leaves or in tiny crevices of those plants.  Give them all a good spray (top and bottom of all leaves, stems, and blossoms) of Insecticidal soap.  Repeat this about every month or if you see pest activity. You can do this without concern for any toxins in your house (it’s just soap) but careful that the spray doesn’t get onto windows or it’ll leave an unsightly residue.  Plants that are especially susceptible to indoor pests like aphids, white flies, spider mites include fuchsia, hibiscus, and petunias.  Geraniums seem the most pest-free of all and tolerate long dry spells between watering.

Garden Beds.  In order to minimize spring weeds, I’ve found the most complete control comes from covering entire beds with woven ground cover (called “tarping”).  This material is heavier and more durable than the polyethylene plastic commonly used plus it allows air and water to get to the soil.  I like to cover the beds with a couple inches of compost before tarping so come spring I peel back the cover to expose a nearly weed-free, compost enriched bed ready to plant.  I dislike the plastic but not as much as I dislike weeding in the spring before planting.

Pruning.  Once woody perennials have gone fully dormant (early December) you can start pruning for next spring.  Without their leaves it’s much easier to see the plant structure and problems that need pruning.  Take a good look and remove all dead, diseased, and damaged branches, then work on shaping.

Reflections.  While your memory is fresh, this is an excellent time to note what worked and what didn’t this season.  Make a few written notes to help avoid the same mistakes next year and build on your positive experiences.  For example, which varieties did the best, which flowers were your favorites, which places gave the strongest plant growth, where did you have less satisfactory results, etc.?  It’s not too early to start planning next year’s garden.  Some seed catalogues have already arrived and more will be here soon.  I’m already looking over the micro-greens selections to grow over winter!

Christmas tree protection.  Do you like the looks and smell of a fresh-cut Christmas tree?  Here are two simple tips that will help your tree stay green and hold its needles longer:  1) Just before placing your tree in the stand, cut off 2 inches from the trunk so there is a fresh wood submerged in the water.  Of course, keep the stand reservoir filled with clean warm water through the holidays.  2) Do not place any fresh fruit in the same room as your tree.  Fruits emit a natural vapor of ethylene gas that stimulates ripening.  The effect of this gas on a cut evergreen tree is to trigger it to drop its needles.  Keep all fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, pears, etc. well away from your tree and you’ll be sweeping up fewer needles.

Happy Holidays and keep on composting!

What did you learn in your garden this year?  What are you going to do differently next year?  Please share your knowledge and ideas.  Got questions?  Suggestions?   Leave a message in the Comments below.